Mark Schlachtenhaufen
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND —
Tracey Rice gave God all glory and honor for connecting her with Turning Point Ministries and Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity.
“I’m very thankful to everyone that was involved in the building of our home,” said the single mother. “I’m just ecstatic.”
Contessa Bass thanked Turning Point co-founder Bob Turner, Habitat, all the volunteers, God and her family.
“I didn’t know I was going to have to speak so I’m getting kind of choked up,” said the single mother. “God is just so good.”
Ann Felton, CEO of Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, handed the women the keys to their just-finished Legacy Station homes on Saturday morning. A third home, also built for a single mother in the addition just north of downtown Edmond, was dedicated several weeks ago.
Felton said the two homes represent the 579th and 580th homes built by Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity.
Bass will live in the wheelchair-accessible home, more spacious than their previous structure, with her four sons, one of which is a special needs child.
Bass, a special education teacher, plans to work with other single mothers through Arise Ministries to show them that possibilities are unlimited. While she was a single mother, Bass graduated from college while caring for her sons and became a homeowner.
Rice, a financial assistant for an Edmond church, has a daughter who is a basketball player and on the honor roll at her school.
The homes stand on what was neglected land bought by Turning Point, developed by the City of Edmond. Don Hildebrand designed the homes. Aaron McRee is the local Habitat chapter’s construction manager.
Turner said the completion of the first three homes at Legacy Station could not have happened without all the volunteers, Habitat and the financial support from the community.
Habitat dealt with some extraordinary situations during the build, Turner said.
“There were a little bit different house plans, a little bit different set-up to build to accommodate the property we have here,” Turner said. “They stayed with us and we worked out the difficulties.”
Several Edmond churches supplied volunteer laborers and partner businesses and organizations included the City of Edmond, Edmond Young Professionals, the Edmond Board of Realtors, Ameripipe Supply, Charleston’s, the Edmond Fire Department, the Edmond Firefighter’s Association, the Fire Marshals Association of Oklahoma, Flash Fire Protection, Pitzer’s Lawn Management and a local pipefitters union.
Habitat presented each family with lawncare equipment.
“Each Habitat project is a team effort and we’re proud of how many different people come together to help us with our ministry, and these have been outstanding builds,” Felton said.
Felton said she wanted to offer a special thanks to Turner and Turning Point Ministries.
In all, 12 homes will be built in the addition, continuing the housing ministry’s vision of assisting in the housing needs of Edmond residents living in sub-standard conditions.
While the focus has been on single mothers, a single father will be one of the future recipients. Felton said additional Legacy Station builds will likely begin sometime next year.
Turning Point seeks to honor the self-worth of those in need through a hand up rather than a hand out, to partner with Habitat for Humanity to find lots to build homes in Edmond, to buy and lease step-up homes in Edmond, to establish sufficient financial reserves so properties can be secured as they become available, to maintain a storage facility for donated furniture and appliances and to connect clients to government and community housing resources.
For more information about the Turning Point Ministries visit turningpointoklahoma.org. For more information about Arise Ministries visit www.ariseministries.net.
marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 367
